U-Wangari Maathai: Iqhawe Lezemvelo kanye Nezwi Lethemba

Ibhalwe ngu-Esther Johnson

Ihumushwe ngu-Pheliswa Msele

Ishicilelwe ngoMbasa 24, 2026

U-Wangari Maathai wayeyiqhawe lezemvelo laseKenya elafundisa ukuthi imbewu eyodwa ingasindisa amahlathi futhi iguqule umlando. Wazalwa ngo-1940 edolobheni lase-Ihithe, eNyeri, lapho akhula khona edlala ngaphansi kwezihlahla zomkhiwane, izihlahla ayekholelwa ukuthi ezekhethelo. Emva kokufunda isayensi eMelika e-United States futhi eba ngowesifazane wokuqala eMpumalanga Afrika ukuthola iziqu zobudokotela kunoma yimuphi umkhakha, i-PhD, wabuyela eKenya washaqeka ebona isivinini sokucekelwa phansi kwemvelo.

Ngonyaka u-1977, wasungula inhlangano i-Green Belt Movement. UWangari wabona ukuthi ukugawulwa kwamahlathi kudala imifula ukuthi yome futhi indlala inyuke. Waqala ngabesifazane abambalwa, ebafundisa ukutshala izihlahla zomdabu njenge-Muringa, i-Mukuyu (ikhiwane leSycamore), ne-Mvule (itiye laseAfrika). Ngokungafani nezihlahla eziyivela kancane, lezi zihlahla zomdabu zazivikela inhlabathi nemithombo yamanzi. UWangari wayehamba amadolobha enikeza izeluleko eziwusizo, njengesithi: "Gubha umgodi ophindwe kabili ngobukhulu bezimpande, unisele nsuku zonke, futhi uvikele izihlahla ezimbuzini." Esihlahleni ngasinye esasisinda, abesifazane babethola okusamadlana, eyayibanika amandla kwezomnotho iphinde ibanike nenhlonipho emiphakathini yabo.

Ubushoshovu bukaWangari babungaphathelene nezemvelo kuphela, kodwa babuphinde buphathelane nobulungiswa emiphakathini. Ngonyaka u-1989, wahola impi yokulwa nohlelo lukahulumeni lokwakha isakhiwo esinezitezi ezingama-60 maphakathi nepaki i-Uhuru, amaphaphu e-Nairobi. Yize washaywa waboshwa ngamaphoyisa, kodwa ukuqina kwakhe kwaholela ekutheni abatshalizimali bahoxe, ipaki ishiyelwe umphakathi. Ngo-1999, waphinde wasindisa ihlathi laseKurura ekugawulweni kwezihlahla. Wabhekana nogandaganda ephethe isithombo esandleni, ephikelela ngokuthi imvelo ayikwazi ukudayiselwa inzuzo yabambalwa.

Ngonyaka u-2004, i-Green Belt Movement yase itshale izihlahla ezilinganiselwa ezigidini ezingama-30. Ngawo lowo nyaka, uWangari Maathai waqopha umlando ngokuba ngowesifazane wokuqala wase-Afrika ukuhlonishwa ngendondo ye-Nobel Peace Prize. Ikomidi le-Nobel lamhlonipha ngamagalelo akhe ekuxhumaniseni imvelo, intando yeningi, nokuthula. UMaathai wathi: "Izihlahla ziwuphawu lokuthula; lapho silwela izinto zemvelo ezingatholakali kalula, ukuthula kuyanyamalala." UWangari washona ngo-2011, kodwa ifa lakhe liyaqhubeka. Namuhla, izwe iKenya lizibekele imigomo yokutshala izigidi zezihlahla, okuwukuqhubeka kwephupho lalo wesifazane waseNyeri owayekholelwa wukuthi inguquko iqala ngembewu eyodwa vo.